There are a number of less than lethal weapons currently used by law enforcement and military personnel including tear and pepper gas sprays and bombs. These types of weapons, however, are not always effective especially when perpetrator or enemy personnel are armed. These types of weapons also sometimes fail to adequately restrain the target. Some prior restraining net systems have been developed (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,869), but they require either specialized launching guns, have very short ranges, and/or are susceptible to entanglement on obstructions in the path between the launching gun and the target.
Law enforcement and military personnel are not usually receptive to restraining net systems which require specialized launching guns. Such systems are also cost prohibitive since the design and production costs of the launching gun are excessive. Also, restraining net systems wherein the net is deployed in its open state do not have much of a range because of the drag of the net in flight. Moreover, it is difficult to aim these types of weapons. Such systems are also easy to elude. Worse, the net in its open unfurled state can become entangled on obstructions (e.g. tree branches) in the path between the net launcher and the perpetrator. Finally, prior restraining net systems are ineffective at restraining hostile and/or armed individuals.